New Hyundai Azera Won't Be Sold Stateside

Hyundai has confirmed plans to discontinue the Azera sedan from the U.S. market. The news means that U.S. buyers will never get to experience the all-new Azera (Grandeur), which took a noticeable step up-market in its latest generation.

The news should not come as a huge surprise. Car sales are down over 13 percent in the U.S. year-to-date as buyers migrate to SUVs and crossovers. Additionally, the fancied up version of the car would likely create unneeded competition for Hyundai’s own Genesis G80, despite the new Azera remaining front-wheel drive.

Azera has never sold in significant volumes in the U.S., but sales have nosedived this year. So far Hyundai dealers have only moved 1,792 of them in all of 2017.

U.S. buyers will still be able to obtain the mechanics of the new Azera, just in a different package. Hyundai’s sister brand Kia is offering the Cadenza sedan with the same platform and the same 3.3-liter V-6. The Kia is likely another reason for Hyundai pulling the plug in the Azera.

Hyundai has also announced that 2017 will be the last model year for the Veloster. Like Azera, Veloster sales have also nosedived this year with sales down 38 percent year-over-year from 2016.

About Nick Saporito

AutoVerdict Senior Editor Nick Saporito began writing about cars at age 13. Nick ran a couple of automotive enthusiast sites for several years, before taking some time off to focus on his career and education. By day he's a marketing executive in the telecom world and by night he hangs out here at AV. You'll find him focusing on tech, design and the industry's future.

I'm coming more from a position that Malibu is encroaching on Impala's territory. Impala needs something to set it apart from the rest of the lineup besides just being a bigger Malibu.

In fairness...the latest Impala is a much bigger Malibu. Not many sedans have an ass that big or an interior that spacious.

From what I have been reading, the current Impala generation will be its last. The next generation Malibu will be a little larger.

It's a shame that cars like the Taurus, Impala, and Avalon are falling out of favor. The common theme is that the full sized sedans are being phased out slowly as mid sized and compacts grow slightly to cover the gap. I have a deep appreciation for big, comfortable sedans. The Impala Premier models are particularly attractive to me, and they are the highest rated full sized sedan right now in Consumers Reports. I like the styling and the layout. The wheels and details on the higher end models really nice.

Perhaps Chevrolet should offer an Impala PPV model until production of this generation is complete? Chevrolet seems more interested in pushing the Tahoe PPV, which is kind of expensive for a lot of departments. The Taurus is criticized for a cramped interior. The Charger seems to be the favorite police sedan at the moment. I've seen the Caprice PPV around, but it is pretty rare.

I thought I read a review saying the current Azera was an actually nice vehicle. The death of the sedan probably has something to do with this. Or is it possible it will move to the Genesis brand to battle the likes of the ES? Unlikely...

I could actually see that.

The Genesis brand is in need of crossovers and probably another Azera-like vehicle.